Machine for and method of printing sheet material and forming articles therefrom having shaped surfaces



July 1954 F. M. DESSART ET AL 2,684,104

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET MATERIAL AND FORMING ARTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES Filed Dec. 16, 1950 10 sheets-sheet 1 F r T w I w m I a 1 I lg m l o E; I Q E w 9 z E i )5: r

D I D D: Q Q m P E E I N I l I F a I z m (5 I c9 2 z I S E- u. [U F?) N D Z r- N E l E l I L O l l 2 5 I l a: (I

R 2 1" Z I r-\ E i INVENTORS U Franklyn M. Dessuri m l I E John G. Cummg,

I Rdlph W. Becker: and I swam Roberf B. Wafkms I smxvuas [m C .B 1 l tf f i ATTORNEYS July 20,1954

F. M. DESSART ET AL MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET MATERIAL AND FORMING ARTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES Filed Dec. 16, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlG.-4

Ni co m r- N (all P I0 e (D z (9 Q CD a o \NN in //n o N it o Q 0 EP K a.

=- (D ,2 a A V f INVENTORS m J Fronklin M. Dessert,

N John G. Cummg,

Ralph W. Beckgr and Robert B. Wnfkms A ATTORNEYS July 20, 1954 M. MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET DESSART ET AL 2,684,104

MATERIAL AND FORMING ARTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES Filed Dec. 16, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 5? 35 l \l /a(/ I" 'I/l/ Ill/ /0 I. I

53 t r54 5 38 3| J H 33 "I. I. II 'II "I. II 1h,

FIG.9

INVENTORS Fronklin M. Dessert John G. Guming, Rolph'W. Becker and Robert B. Watkins QELWQWK 0.14M

AT TO R N EYS y 1954 F. M. DESSART ET AL 84,

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET- MATERIAL AND FORMING MTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES Filed Dec. 16, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Franklyn M. Dessert John G. Cuming,

Ralph W. Becker and Robert B.Wo1kins ATTORNEYS July 20, 1954 F. M. DESSART ET AL 4, 4

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET MATERIAL AND FORMING ARTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES Filed Dec. 16, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 5' will k a 3 F I g 0 I i a INVENTORS g E Franklyn M. Dessert f John G. Cuming, a Ralph W. Becker and Robert B. Wufkins 5 [f M J ATTORNEYS y 1954 F. M. DESSART ET AL 2,634,104

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET MATERIAL AND FOR ING ARTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES Filed Dec. 16, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet e- INVENTORS Franklyn M. Dessert, John G. -Guming,

Rciph W. Becker and Roberf B. Watkins y ATTORNEYS y 0, 1954 F. M. DESSART ET AL 2,684,104

MACHINE FQR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET MATERIAL AND FQRMING ARTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES Filed Dec. l6; l95O l0 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS Franklyn M. Dessert, John G. Cuming,-

Ralph W. Becker and Robert B. Watkins I ATTORNEYS III y 1954 F. M. DESSART ETAL MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET MATERIAL AND FORMING ARTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 16, 1950 INVENTORS a E v zl N 0 .K

m HIM C MUB T n G V A Mn u chh b r 0 O O F uDnR y 20, 1954 F. M. DESSART ET AL. 2,684,104

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET MATERIAL AND FORMING ARTICLES THEREFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Dec. 16, 1950 John G. Cuming Ralph W. Becker and Robert B. Watkins ATTORNEYS July 20, 1954 Filed Dec. 16, 1950 F. M. DESSART ET AL MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING SHEET MATERIAL AND FORMING ARTICLES THEREIFROM HAVING SHAPED SURFACES 1'0 Sheets-Sheet 10 FlG.-24

INVE NTO RS runklyn M. Dessert John G. Cuming, Ralph W. Becker and Robert B. Watkins Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED LiSTATE .1

MACHINE, FGllt AND METHOD. OFPRINTING .SHEET MATEREAL AND FORMING "ARTI- CLES THERE'FROIi/I HAVING SHAPED SUR- Applicatiomlleeemher 16, 1950, Serial No. 201,218

33"Claims. Jl

This invention relates to a new .machineior and a, new :method of l printing sheet material ivith a pluralityoi colors and accomplishing such in-a continuous and automatic manner, vand further to the forming of the colored material vinto articles having shaped-masks if such articles are desired to be produced from the colored =material. The invention has been embodied in a =-mask making machinalout it is to beunderstood vthat such. is byway of example only becausea macl'iineembodying the invention and capablelof performing the. steps of the new method can be employed to =make'colored sheet material and shape itasdesiredior other purposes than for masks.

' Qne'of the objects of our invention is 'topro- -cluce a machine whereby a continuous sheet of qflcxible material'can-be moved therethroughand automatically processedso as to be provided with "a plurality of different'colors placed thereon by a silk screen technique.

Another object is to produce an improved inethodandza machineior automatically carryv-ing out, the method whereby a single continuous sheetgof flexible material can be first colored,

than have adheredwto one of its surfaeesanother continuous, sheet of flexible materiaLandtheremafterlthe first sheet-*haveapplied thereto aplural'ity of different-colors,-.a1l'being accomplished A .during moving ofithe sheet through the machine.

Still another, object is .to produce a machine uwhich will apply toeach'of succeeding sections of Na continuous sheet ofamaterial .a plurality, of odifferent colors loya silk. screen technique, each color beingapplied tea sectionof the sheet as itis caused tomovc from one stat-ionto another and saidmachine heing'soautomatically controlled and operated that the coloring'will be "accomplished as thecontinuous sheetis caused to'nio-ve from. station to station through the machine.

A further object is to produce an improved method oflapplying different colors to a sheet of material and. then subsequently forming the material so as tohave a predetermined contoured.

ity ofdifferent coiorsand then subsequently the material can be permanently shaped in a desired .;manner -by, the-application of moisture. and the eoperation. thereon ofpiheated forming dies, all

being accomplishedlaslthe,glueesized materials-is caused to move ,throughlthamachine.

Yet: aiunthenobject is to, produce, a new machinevfcrrso.operating on a sneetof iiexiblematerial, embodyingaa: substance permitting the sheet to takea different permanent: shape when subjeoted to-heatand pressure Imoulding operation,

-.thatssaid sheetscan loe .causedsto take such shape that its surface willlbe provided with aplurality of ,contouredportions spacediaDart-and extending above lithe ssheet surface, -all withoutwa Wrinklingofthe sheetmaterial.

JA im ther-obie tisuto produce, a machine 1' coloring .Withsdiiferentscolors separate sections of a sheet of material capable of being formed-in permanent contouredshapes ruby heatand pressure ,andthen. so simultaneously forming the sectionpfsthe sheet byheatcd companion dies as to pro ducew-permanent vcontour;shapes which "will have the wcolorssinltheldesired location on each shape.

A further and more-s ecifierobject'is. tolprocluce an. automatically;operated-machine yfor, -making face ,masks tor liket articles from'ia continuous sheet of glue-sized material such as buclcram, said material entering-the [machine at one point and after being, operated-upenat: successive stations a. plurality of masks will be simultaneously completed on-,a section 101 the-sheet, material asrit comes from the machineyeachmask in completed form simulating; agface ine-shape and having ap plied theretothe'necessary; different colors to give complexion to the face of the mask,tcgether with-anyrdesired characteristicstorsmarkings.

A further object sis topproduce :an improved automatically operating, machine lforrmaking face masks or; the like, which will; e1iminate,a1l..hand

painting.

A further andfmore specificl obj set is to produce an automatically operating machinerfonpainting sheet material. different .colors,by a silk. screen process so .as to place. thereonisimulatedfaces.

A still further object is to produceby machine operations a. facetmask-lorlike article, from.obuckram materialwhich,.willuhaveuonlits insidessurface acovering sheet of soft material, and on'its outside. surface the'desired plurality of colors to give the face complexion and other desired features.

Another obj-ect'is to produce animproved machine-informing in a simultaneous manner from a single sheet ofibuckram-material aplurality'of contoured surfaces to simulate asplurality of'faces thereon,-. all-:wi-thoutswrinkling :of-- the material I where, itherfacesqareaformed.

Yet a further object is to provide a die apparatus for forming a plurality of simulated face shapes or other contour shapes from a fiat sheet of buckram or like material which has had painted on its flat surface a plurality of colors to thus simulate complexions and other facial features.

A still further object is to produce improved means for removing sheets of material from a machine which acts upon said sheets in periodic sequence as sheets are successively fed thereto.

Other objects of our invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing the mask making machine in which the invention has been embodied.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are schematic plan and side views of the machine illustrating the various steps performed as the material passes through the machine as far as the press section;

Figure 3 is a side View of the first or loading and dyeing section of the machine in which the continuous buckram sheet is fed into the machine, given a base dyeing and then has applied to one side a sheet of soft tissue material;

Figure is a perspective of a piece of the combined buckrani and tissue material as it comes from the first section of the machine;

Figure 5 is a side view of a portion of one of the two endless conveyor chain structures by means of which the continuous sheet of material coming from the first section of the machine is carried through the remaining sections of the machine;

Figure 6 is a perspective view or" a portion of the chain showing the material held by the pins;

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view through one of the chains and associated structure showing how the sheet material will be maintained held on the pins;

Figure 8 is a side view of the second or painting section of the machine where four different colors of paint are applied by a silk screen technique;

Figure 9 is a sectional view of the painting section as viewed on the line 98 of Figure 8;

Figure 19 is a perspective view showing details of one of the painting divisions with the squeegee moving over the silk screen;

Figure 11 is another perspective view showing details of the structure involved in performing the painting;

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken at one end of a painting division showing structure for causing the squeegee to move over the paint as it reaches the end of its travel and thereby assume proper position to move the paint back over the silk screen to perform painting on its return stroke;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the pivoted guide which causes the squeegee to be raised over the body paint;

and lastly the moulding by a press to shape the masks;

Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the saw structure to cut off sections of the continuous sheet material and also make each section a predetermined length;

Figure 16 is a cross sectional view through the apparatus for spraying water and applying moisture to both sides of the sheet material prior to the forming operation in the press;

Figure 17 is a perspective view partly in sec tion showing additional details of the upper 5131333 means;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of the press section with the dies in open position;

Figure 19 is a sectional view through the center of the dies showing the two spring biased cooperating plungers for grasping the section of the sheet material as the dies are caused to assume moulding relation;

Figure 2 3 is a detail view, partly in section, of one corner or the dies and the associated structure including the chain, a stripper plate and a spring loader corner plunger for holding the corner of the sheet material against the upper die as the lower die moves toward closed position;

Figure 21 is a longitudinal sectional view showing details of one of the spring loader corner plungers;

Figure 22 is a detail view showing how the stripper plates lift the sheet material from the pins of the chain as the dies begin to assume closed relation;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of a sheet section with some of the structure which operates thereon during the operation of the press, said view illustrating how the sheet section is acted on so that wrinkles will be prevented when the dies perform the moulding and also illustrating how gravity plates will function to assist in gathering the sheet material into the dies during closing of the moulds so there will uniform moulding without tearing of the material; and

Figure 24 is a side view of the last section of the machine which is employed to remove the section of the sheet material from the press after the masks have been formed.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a general schematic outline of the various parts of the machines and steps involved in carrying out the method 01 constructing face masks in an automatic manner by operation of the machine. As indicated in these two figures, the materials from which the masks are to be made are loaded and fed into the machine at the right hand end thereof and these materials comprise two pieces of sheet material adhered together, then moved through the machine on a conveyor and after being acted upon at various stations throughout the machine a plurality of masks, shown as twelve in number, will be finished on each section of the material when this section comes from the right hand end or" the machine and leaves the last station which acts upon it and comprises a press wherein the moulding operation forming the face contours of each mask is situated. The machine, as shown in the schematic views of Figures 1 and 2, can be divided up into five sections. The firstor initial section of the machine, starting at t e left hand end, is that section in which the buclirarn material, indicated at B, or any other suitable gluesized material that is desired to be operated upon, is loaded into the machine from a roll which is indicated by the letters BR. During the loading of the machine and while it is passing through this first section, the sheet of buckram material, as it continuously comes from the BP. roll, is first caused to be dyed a suitable color which, in this particular instance in making face masks may be pink, but could be any other color. Following the dyeing operation the buckram material will be caused to pass through a suitable dryer which will" dry the dye. Afterthis dye--is-dried,-there 'will be adhered to one side of the sheet of buckram material a sheet of softtissue paper-indicated at T which comes from a roll marked TR.

The purpose of applying this thin sheet of tissue material to the buckramis to'give the inside of the-finished mask a soft feeling to the face. The tissue material will be adhered to the normal bottom surface of the huckram'and'by normal bottom surface will be that-surface whichis on the "underneath side of the buckrammaterial as it passes'on through the machine. The adhering of the tissue material to the bottom surface-of the buckram material willbe accomplished by a suitable adhesive and this will be applied to the 'buckram materialafter drying of the dye has occurred, through the'use-of any suitable means, which will be illustrated'as an adhesive applying roller. the bottom surface of the buckram, the tissue material and the buckram will pass over a single Following the placing of the glue upon roll with the tissue material underneath the "buckram material and by this method the two sets'of material will be adhered together and 'form the combined-sheet material from which the masks are going to be made. Of course, if it should be desired to'make the masks without the thin tissue on the inside thereof, the step of applying thesoft tissue paper to the buckram can be eliminated.

After the material comes frornthe first seetion of the machine where loading has occurred and preparation of the material for mask making has been performed, the combined sheet material will then be attached to a suitable conveyor 'iridicated at C and from here on the material will'then be carried through the machine. The :conveyor is constructed from two endless chains flandthus, by moving these chains, the material can be continuously picked up and attached As indicated in Figure 1, there are four chine. Each of these paint stations involves a silk screen technique for applying paint to the top surface of the buckram material. Each paint station will be simultaneously operated with each .other paint station and consequently fourdif- .ferent' colors of paint can be applied to the 'buckram material. .the paint to the top of the buckram material. the :conveyor will be stopped. If we assume that During the application of buckram material extends under all four of-the paint stations being carried to such position by the conveyor, then as paint is applied to the top surface of the buokram material while the conveyor is stopped, that section of the buckram material which is under the paint station marked lwill be having applied to it the color of paint desired, which we can say, for example, is red.

While the red paint is being applied at station 1, some other color of paint, for example black, is being applied at station 2 on the section of the .buckram material which is just ahead or" the section on which the red paint is being applied.

This section which is receiving the black paint having already had applied thereto the red paint when such section was at the paint station I. Duringthe application ofpaint at stations I and "2, application of other paint is being done at paint stations 3and 4 onsections of'the buckram material-which have alreadypassed-throughprevious stations and had other colors applied thereto. Thus,"for example, station't can be applying a brown paintand station 4 -a:green paint. T18 control' of the -conveyor-wilhbesuch that it will move a section of the buckram'from one station to the other only between stops of 1 the -motor. Thus, each section as itis: caused to be moved from paint station ithrough paint stations 2,3 and-4 will,- when it reaches paintstation have received paint which-is applied=at all four stations. By use ofproperisilk screens "at these paint stations, having predetermined-cut out portionsfor applying paint, the result will be that afterca section has passed throughall the paint stations it will have imprinted upon the top surface of the buckram material a plurality of faces, such facesheing on'a :pink or-other colored background, due to the fact-that the buckram was first dyed this color when it was moved through the firstsection ofthe machine comprisingthe loading and :dyeing section. .xIn the actual mask makingmachine which has:been constructed, there will'be painted oneach section 1 ofbuckram mate *ial (and by a section? is meant "thatxpalt .off the continuous .buckram mate-rial .whichiis substantially the'same-length .as the buckram is. wide) twelve facesnfour rows -of three faces to a row. The faces willbe so arranged that there will be'two pairs of rows with each pair having the top or. forehead part of the face in juxtaposition.

The third section of the machine, asindicated in schematic view of Figure Linv'olves the cutting and drying and it is in this section that. the. paint is caused .to dry .in a suitable dryer. and, while drying, the section of .buckram. material which has had the'twelve'faces printed thereon and has just moveol from the last paint station .will v(be cut off from the continuous sheet .of buckram material. This cutoff section, however, willcontinue to becarried by the conveyor. As this cutoffsection continues to move forwardly through the machine. it will pass through the fourth'section of the machine .where it .is caused: to be humidified or moistened by water and this moistening will be caused to occur onboth sides of the buckram. and tissue'material from which the mask is to be made. humidifying section is to prepare thematerial The purpose of the for the press where the moulding operation. takes place to form the material into twelvecontoured shapes simulating the contours of faces. Inthe .moulding operation male and female face contour'dies are used and these dies are causedto .so act on the material that the face contours 'iormedin the buckram materialzwill be so related. to the colored faces painted on the materialthat the colored faceswill have proper position on the contoured shapes and a simulated face will result. When the masksare formed in the press, thesection of, buckram material will be removed from the conveyor and this removal, followed by the moulding operation, will allxbe accompl-ished during a stopped condition of the conveyor, which stopped condition will also be taken advantage'of to cause painting to occur at all'the paint stations of the second'section,

-- drying and cutting to occur in the third section and a fairly uniform saturation of moisturewin the fourth section which has just passed through the moisture applying station. After the twelve masks have'been" formed by thepress inv the .cut on section of buckram, these twelve- :masks will be automatically removed by separate apparatus and caused to be deposited in a bin, this structure and its operation also to be described in detail later. The masks can now be cut out from the section and also openings for the mouth and the eyes. Following this the desired elastic holding band can be attached and the mask is ready for shipping.

The entire operation of the machine is intended to be fully automatic and there will be provided a master timer control which is indicated in Figures 1 and 14 by the letters MTC. Details of the timer control will not be described in this application, it being understood, however, that the entire timing will be accomplishd in an electrical manner and by the use of known electrical devices, or by any other means such as mechanical devices. By proper timed switching a motor will be caused to start and stop to so move the conveyor that any given section of the buckram material will move from one station to another station. The period of stopping of the conveyor will be of sufficient length of time that the painting can be accomplished at all of the paint stations, the cutting and drying can occur and the press operate to mould the faces and, after moulding of a cut off section, such can be removed from the press. As will become apparent from a detailed description of the parts of the machine, the silk screens at the various paint stations will move down upon the buckram material and Squeegees, which apply the paint through the silk screen to the top surface of the buckram, will operate and after operation the silk screens will be raised from the buckram material. This will all be accomplished by the use of air pressure motors which will be controlled by solenoid operated valves under the control of the master timer control.

With the above general description of the automatically operable mask making machine, the details thereof will now be described and refer ence is first had to Figure 3 wherein the first section of the machine, that is, the loading and dyeing section, is disclosed. This section has pairs of upright posts if), H and 12 (one only of each pair being shown) forming the rear part of the frame F of the machine. The uprights are suitably connected together by cross supports as shown. On the lower portion of the posts i l the roll of buckram material BB is mounted for free rotation. From this roll the buckram material B, which is a continuous sheet of material, passes over a roller :3 and then under a roller Hi and from there it moves in a horizontal direction to a roller i5 suitably journaled in the rear pair of posts it}. In passing in a horizontal direction from the roller id to the roller 55 the buckram will move across a dyeing apparatus it having a pan I! in which are positioned sprays I8. With these sprays the dye will be sprayed onto the entire bottom surface of the buckram material, considering its position at this point, said bottom later being the top surface. The color of this dye for the masks will preferably be pink or other simulating a flesh color, although other colors could be used, such as white for a clown face. It will be noted that the arrangement for the dyeing is such that the dye being sprayed will be on the bottom surface of the buckram and thus, if any excess dye should be applied to the buckram, it can drip back into pan. If the spraying were done from the top, it would be possible for the excess dye to collect in pools on the buckram material and there would not be a uniform dyeing.

From the roller Hi the sheet of buckram will move upwardly and over a roller id at the top of the posts ill and from there it will pass over the adhesive apparatus, generally indicated at 29, and thereafter beneath a roller 2!. The adhesive is applied by the use of a roller 22, partially positioned in an adhesive containing pan '23, and the roller will engage with another adhesive applying roller 2!; which will be in contact with the bottom surface of the buckram as it moves over this roller 24. In order to insure that the roller 24 will be rotated and the adhesive uniformly applied to the bottom of the buckram, the ends of the roller 24 will have small radially extending pins 25 which can project through the open mesh structure of the buckram at its edges and thus as the buckram is pulled over the roller it will insure that the roller 24 will rotate. The pins 25 will not interfere with the smooth contact of the roller 24 in the pan because these pins will be spaced beyond the ends of the roller 22.

To insure that the dye on the buckram will be fully dried before any adhesive is applied, a dryer 25 is situated at a point to operate upon the buckram after it comes from the dyeing unit. As shown, the dryer acts upon the buckram between the two rollers i5 and I9 and while the buckram is moved vertically upward before turning at the top of the machine to pass to the adhesive apparatus. The dryer, as indicated, consists of a plurality of infra red lamps 2'5 so mounted as to provide a bank. If desired, other types of drying apparatus could be used. In connection with the adhesive operation it is also believed to be apparent that other adhesive applying structure could be substituted for the roller arrangement. For example, the adhesive could be wiped on by a brush as the continuous sheet of buckram material moves forwardly.

As already indicated in the general outline of the machine, the buckram will have adhered to its bottom surface a sheet of soft tissue material T, thus giving to the resulting masks a soft inner surface for engagement with the face of the wearer. This tissue material T comes continuously from a roll TR which is mounted on the pair of posts H above the buckram roll BR. The sheet of tissue material T passes up and over a roller 28 which is above the roll of tissue material TR and also slightly forwardly of the previously mentioned roller 2!. The buckram material which has passed beneath the roller 2! also passes over the top of the roller and it is arranged to be on top of the continuous sheet of tissue material which is passing over the roller 28. Since the buckram material has had applied to its bottom surface an adhesive material, then as the sheets of buckram and tissue material come together when they pass over the roller 28, they will be adhered together. With these two sheets of material now adhered to each other, the sheet material from which the masks are to be made is formed and such sheet of material then passes over rollers 29 and 35 to the second section of the machine where it is caused to have its edges attached to the endless chains of the conveyor C. The combined buckram material and tissue material forming the sheet of material from which the masks are to be made is illustrated in Figure 4:, it being noted that the buckram is on top of the soft tissue paper and the two held together as one continuous sheet by the adhesive material.

The next or second section of the machine is that section in which the different, colors of paint.

are applied to the .top surface of the buckram material. The details ofthis sectionare variously disclosed in Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Before describing the painting operation, however, a description of the conveyor is believed to be in order since this conveyor picks up the combined buckram and tissue paper material at the beginning of the painting section, and carries the said material all the way through the machine until the masks are finally formed in the press or last section. The conveyor comprises two endless chains 3! and 32 of, identical construction. mounting and length. One chain is on one side of the machine and the other chain is on the other side of the machine and between the two they constitute the conveyor C- As best shown in Figures 5; 6 and 7, each chain has a plurality of. links 33 pivotally connected together, somewhat, on the same order as a bicycle chain. As canbe seenin Figures 5 and 7, alternate links 33. will have mounted thereon blocks 3d and the upper surface of these blocks will thus provide av support on which the buckramand tissue paper materialcan be supported at its edges. On the inner end of each of these blocks is a pin 35 and it is by means of this pin that the buckrarn material will be attached to each chain so thatthe material can be carried on through the machine.

Each endless chain is trained over a sprocket 35 at the beginning of the paint section of the machine and from thisrear sprocket each chain will extend forwardly through the succeeding sections and then be trained over a sprocket 31 at the forward end of the machine just outside of the press or moulding section, as can be seen in Figures 14 and 18. As the upper part of each chain moves through the machine it will be supported so that sagging will not occur, such supporting structure being. shown in Figures 7 and 9 and constituting aplate 38 carried on the frame structure F of the machine. In order that each chain will be maintained taut the lower side of the chain will pass over an idler sprocket 39 shown in Figure 8, this sprocket being mounted in a suitable support it, and capable of adjustment by means of a screw il which will act to shift the bearing 32 of the idler, sprocket. The two forward end sprockets 3'5 of the chains will bemounted on short shafts isand these shafts will, constitute the drives for the conveyor. As can best be seen in Figure 14, the shafts d3 carry sprockets c i and the sprockets will be driven by means of endless chains from. sprockets 46 mounted at the base of the. machine. The sprockets ts will driven by a. motor d1 through speed reduction gearing it.

The entire frame structure over which the conveyor, will move which forms a part of the second to fifth sectionsof the machine will be de up of various horizontal girders 553 and verl girders 5t. These horizontal and vertical girders will besupported from the floor by suitable posts 5i, as variously indicated in Figures 8 and 1- The front end of the machine will have its section supported by other posts 52 which will constitute legsfor the. press section which will have the frame structure attached thereto.

Referring again. tothe. paint section which is illustrated in Figurese to 13 as already noted, the frame of the machine over this section will have a fiat bed 58.. As can bestbeseen in Fig ure this bed issupportedonansle irons E l carried. by. cross. braces. 55'.of;the frame strucway. of example.

10. ture. Thebed 53 will lie between the two chains 3! and 320i the conveyor C and when the chains of the conveyorhave picked up the combined buckram andtissue paper material at the sprockets 3i (see Figure 3), the combined sheet material will be pulled over this fiat bed 53 by the pins of the chains which have now pierced the buckram material at its edge. While the combined sheet material is being pulled over the bed and the painting operations are being performed, it is desirable that such material be prevented from beingpulled off the pins and to accompiish this plates 55 and El will be carried by the frame structure and arranged to just overlie the tops of the pins 35 of the chains asthese chains move along the frame structure, all as best shown in Figures 5 and 9. The plates 56 also have flanges which will act to maintain the material down on the pins. This is further illustrated in Figure 7.

The four paint divisions of the painting section will all be attached to longitudinally extending members constituting a single frame structure 6t. Since this frame structure 69 will be of considerable length and it is necessary to raise it from and lower it onto the buckram material as such material passes over the bed, the frame structure has truss bars ti which are connected to the ends of the members 55 andfi'i and at their centers pass over posts 62, all of which is disclosed in Figures 8 and 9. In order to move the frame structure is down to an overlying position on the bed 53 and to conveniently raise it off the bed so the combined buckrain and tissue material will be free to be moved forward by the conveyor, one side of the frame structure will be provided with two spaced arms 63 pivoted to the rearsideof. the machine by pins 84 suitably carried in journal blocks 65, all as disclosed in Figure 9 (onearm only being shown). On the forward side .ofthe frame structure there are extension arms es, the .outer ends of which will be connected together and to a piston rod iii whichforms part of a fluid motor 68. This motor is arranged vertically at the front side of the machine and has one end pivoted by a bracket St to the main machine frame structure at one.

of its posts 5!. The fluid motor 68 is a double acting motor, and by this ismeant that air I under pressure can be applied to either side of the piston it to cause it to be positively reciprocated. Air is introduced into the upper end of the cylinder ii through a hose connection T2 and into the lower-endof the cylinder through a hose connection .73. These hoses are connected to control valves which are arranged to be operated by solenoids. All. the valves and solenoids are enclosed within. thev casing. "i i mounted on theforward sideo-f theframe, as shown in Figure 8.

When air is introduced into the lower end of the cylinder and allowed to exhaust from the upper end, the piston 'ldwill be moved upwardly and consequently the frame structure 6i, will be raised oilv the bed 55- into the position shown in Figure 9.. When air is introduced into the upper end of the cylinder. and allowed to exhaust from the lower end ofthe. cylinder, the frame structureidd. will belo-wered. onto the bed and into a position above the buckram. material which is overlying the bed,

As already mentioned, the frame structure fit cc ries the .fourpaint divisions, all. similar, and in Figure 1.0 the onepaint division, is. disclosed by The. division. is a. relatively square box compartment established by side walls 75. Each box is attached to the underside of the longitudinal members 56 and 51 of the frame structure Si! by suitable bolts 15, thus permitting the entire box to be easily removed from the frame structure 68 for cleaning, etc. Across the bottom of the paint compartment is stretched a silk screen it and this silk screen has cut out portions through which paint can be forced by a squeegee and applied to the top surface of the buckram material in the desired pattern. If, for example, it is desired to apply a red paint to the twelve faces which are going to be painted on the top surface of a section of the buckram material so as to simulate lips of the faces, then the silk screen will be so conditioned that the red paint will pass through the silk material and be applied to the buckram in the shape of lips.

The squeegee, which is shown at ll in Figure 10, extends crosswise of the paint compartment above the silk screen and this squeegee is car'- ried on two flat rods 18 and 19. These rods extend longitudinally across all of the four paint box compartments which are attached to the frame structure 60 and the squeegee for each paint division will be secured to these fiat rods. The squeegees are all so spaced apart on the rods that whenever the rods are moved longitudinally towards the rear of the machine, for example, the squeegee will be caused to be moved completely across each paint box in a simultaneous manner and when the rods 18 and 19 are moved longitudinally in the opposite direction all the squeegees will be moved back across the paint boxes in a simultaneous manner, each reaching the end of its paint box at the same time.

The rods it and 19 are operated by a double acting fluid motor 8% which is mounted on the central part of the frame structure 60, as can best be seen in Figures 8 and 9. This fluid motor has its piston 8|, which is slidable in the cylinder 82, connected with two piston rods 33 and 84, the piston rod 83 extending from one end of the cylinder and the piston rod 84 extending from the other end of the cylinder, as best seen in Figure 8. These piston rods are connected to the flat rods 18 and 19, which extend longitudinally over the frame structure 6!), by means of a cross bar 85 shown in Figure 11. Figure ll shows only the piston rod 83 connected to the cross bar 85, but it will be understood that the piston rod 8% will also be connected by a similar cross bar to the rods 18 and 19 at the other end of the fluid motor. In order that rods '58 and 19 can be properly supported and easily reciprocated, the ends of the cross bar will carry rollers 86 and these rollers will rest upon the longitu dinally extending members 56 and of the frame structure 69, it being noted that rods 78 and 19 are adjacent said members in parallel relation.

In performing the painting operation at each painting station it is desirable to have the paint applied through the silk screen each time that a squeegee is caused to move across the compartment of a paint division. In other words, paint should be applied when the squeegee is moved toward the rear of the machine and paint should be applied whenever the squeegee moves in the opposite direction toward the front of the machine. To accomplish this, it is necessary to always have the paint, which is to be applied, positioned ahead of the squeegee as it moves toward either end of the paint compartment and in accordance with one feature of the machine a unique control for each squeegee is provided.

The control insures that each squeegee, as it approaches the end of its travel, will be caused to be raised above the screen and moved over the ridge of paint which has been pushed ahead of it as it crossed the silk screen. Figures 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the control apparatus and reference is now made thereto. As can be best seen in Figure 10, each paint compartment adjacent its side will be provided with rails 89 and 99 under which the squeegee ll will be moved. These rails will insure that as the squeegee moves from one end to the other it will be held down with proper pressure on the top of the screen and the paint will be forced through the cut out portions of the silk screen in the desired manner. At the end of each of these rails the lower edge will be cut away, as indicated at 9|, thus permitting the squeegee to move upwardly away from the silk screen. Adjacent each cut away edge of a rail and mounted on the end walls 15 of the compartment, there is provided a lifting or guide member 92 pivoted to the end wall by a pin 93. Each guide member extends forwardly to a point where the cut away edge 9| begins and is so mounted that the pointed end will be positioned just below a roller 94 which is carried by a projection Q5 on the squeegee, there being two such rollers, one at each end of the squeegee. The roller is so related to the pivoted guide mem ber 92 that it can roll up the top inclined surface QE thereof and thereby raise the rubber wiper SI of the squeegee upwardly so it can pass over the ridge of paint, indicated at 98, which it has been shoving before it as it moved across the silk screen. When the squeegee moves up the inclined surface 96 sufficiently so as to pass over the ridge of paint, the squeegee is allowed to fall back onto the screen behind the ridge of paint. This is accomplished by cutting a notch in the guide member closely adjacent its pivot.

The notch allows the roller M to drop down past the guide member and again permit the rubber blade of the squeegee to assume its position on the silk screen, but at a point behind the ridge of paint 98. The squeegee will then be ready for its reverse movement whereby it can push the same paint before it and apply the paint through the silk screen in the same manner as it did on its finished stroke. When the squeegee moves across the screen again, after being raised and lowered by the pivoted guide members, the roller will be free to move under the guide member and raise it against the action of gravity.

The double acting fluid motor is to be operated by air pressure and to accomplish this the ends of the cylinder are connected by conduits Q9 and Hill with control valves which are enclosed within a casing E6! on the back side of the machine, as can be seen in Figure 9. The control valves are arranged to be solenoid operated. Both the solenoid control valves in the casing l8! and the previously referred to casing 14 (controlling the fluid motor 68 for raising and lowering the frame structure 65) will be arranged to be co-ordinated in a manner that first the fluid motor 88 will be operated to lower the frame structure down onto the sheet of buckram which is being moved through the machine by the conveyor. When the frame structure 60 is lowered, the sheet of buckram material, of course, will be stationary due to stopping of the conveyor driving motor ll which is stopped and started by the master timer control MTG as a part of a cycle of operation for the machine. As soon as the frame structure 60 is lowered onto the top of-the buck'ram in a stopped position", the" fiuid motor 80 will be'causedto operate and this will result inthe-squeegeesforthe four-printing sections being moved in one' direction," thereby printing four sections of the-buckram with different colors and designs. made their movement in one'directiomthe control valves for the fluidmotor 68 will be so auto matically controlled that theframestructure 60' will be raised oiT fromth'e buckram tothe position shown in Figure 9. This will then permit the conveyor C to' again move by operation of motor II a predetermined distance under thecontrol-of the master "timerand complete the remainingcycle of the machine. The movement of the conveyor C will'only'be sufii'c'ienttdmove" the buckram from one station to another; at which time the conveyor'will again stop 'so that painting can again be accomplished andalso other operations, aswillbecomeapparent from the following description of the othersections" of the machine.

Referring to Figures -14*'and*-15,- the details -of the section ofthe' machine performingdzhe'idryingand cutting operations will be'described: In

Figure 14 this section is'shown' at'itheileftiihand side of the view. The general frame structure of the machine has a superstructure I02 built thereon. Mounted in the upper part.ofzthis sw perstruoture is a bank of" infra red lamps I931 which will perform a rapid dryingnfpaint which has been applied to the top surface of the buckram after said buckram. has been caused by the conveyor and the controlling: means therefor to move through the paint section and'have applied thereto at proper places dilferentcolorstofi paint with different places of. application to thereby simulate the desired face which is goingto be put on the finished-mash.

While this'drying is being accomplished, the

section of the combined buckramiand tissue paper, upon which twelve: faces" have been painted, will be cut from the'continuous :sheet of material which has comethrough the painting section. As shown inxFigures M'an'dv 15; the superstructure N32. has mounted thereon two shaft its, carried by a suitable support III] on the carriage, is an electric motor ML Thedriving shaft'IlZ of this-motor is'parallel to: the

shaft I438 on the carriage: The. motor III, by means of pulleys III-I and. IM, mounted on the motor shaft and the shaft Hi9 respectively;.together with a belt II 5; is capable of rotating shaft its. motor has a saw H6 secured thereto-for 'accom plishing the cutting off of the section of buck ram as the carriage is moved.

Above the cross rodv I04 upon which the carriage i Il is slidable' there ismounted a -paral-- lel screw shaftII'I which has its opposite" ends journaled in suitable mountings carried by the Cooperating with" this screw shaft is a nutI I8 fixed tothe carriage I06; Thescrew shaft is arranged-t0 be'rotat'ed by'a'motor I I9 connected to one end thereof by a worm. I20- carried on the end of' the motor" shaft. Thesuperstructure I (I2;

motors III and H9 :will be-zproperlycontrolled through the master timer control. MTC. and necessary switches-z: The..-operation -ofi.thermotor;

After the squeegees have The end of the'shaft I09 below the Within..a- -box=-.like structure: I 26.

I I9 '-will fcauseirthe" carriage to be moved-across the' conveyor and thismoveinent of the carriage willpermit-the saw'to cut on a section of the buckram from. thecontinuous sheet coming through-the machine; During the movement of the carriage across the conveyor, the motor III willbe operating so the'saw is driven at a high speed. Motorl I9 is a reversible motor in order.

whereby the conveyoris moved, and a new uncut section of the-fully painted buckram is moved intothe drying and sawing section of the machine.

The sawing operation will be accomplished during the stopp'edcondition of the conveyor and occurssimultaneously: with the paint being applied to sections 'of'the buckram which are beneath the compartments of the painting section. The saw I I6 preferably has its teeth so designed that it Will cut the buckram material by'rotating in one direction'only, regardless of which'direc tion it is moving across the conveyor. The worm which moves the carriage for the saw will be of such' length withrespect to the width of the conveyor that it will move beyond the conveyor and be out of the way when the sawing has been completedso that during the cycle in which the conveyor moves the buckram forward there will not beany interference. It Will be noted that the pins 35 onthe conveyor, which project through the buckram material and hold the buckram material to the conveyor chain, are mounted on blocks which are above the linlcs of the chain and these blocks are spaced apart. Thus there will be room for the saw to pass between these blocks after completing the-cutting of the buckram material. Where the saw moves over he conveyor chainthere will be provided a suitable gap'in the plates 5b and 5? so there will be no obstruotion'to the inovement'of the saw.

After the sawing'has been accomplished, together'with the drying of the painted faces, the

conveyor'carries the cut off section of the buckrammaterial, upon which twelve faces have been painted, into the moistening section which is shown in Figure 14 and additional details thereof inFigures 16 and 17. The moistening is accomplished during the movement of the cut off section by the conveyor after it leaves the sawing and'drying section. As Will be seen in Figures 14. 16 and 17, thereis provided above the conveyor 2. crosswise extending. pipe EZI and beneath the conveyor a crosswise extending pipe I The pipe I2I has a plurality of spray nozzles I23.

thereinwhich are directed downwardly so that a sprayof waterwill be directed downwardly onto the topof the buclcram material. The pipe I22 beneath the sheet of buckram material will also have spray nozzles I24 which will be directed upwardly so water conducted through the pipe I22 can be sprayed. onto the bottom tissue material of the sheet which passes above the pipe I22. Thepipe I 22"is within a-trcugh-like structure 25 extending 'across beneath the conveyor. This trough-like structure has for its purpose the collecting of any excess water that may come of? from thetissue material and thus confining it and providingl a drain-ofi means.

Thecpipe I2I. above the conveyor is enclosed This box-like structure has a slot 12? in its bottom wall which will permit the downwardly sprayed water coming from the nozzles 523 to pass outwardly and thereby moisten the buckram material. Below this slot it? there is provided a sheet of cloth material, such as canvas l2il, supported by a finger iEt. The finger and cloth are all attached to one wall of the box-like structure, as best shown in Figures 16 and 17. The finger holds the central part of the canvas slightly above the bucl ram and thus the front central edge of the buckram can move under the canvas without being caught and buckled. As the wate' is sprayed downwardly and passes out of the slot E21, it will fall onto the sheet of canvas E28 and thoroughly wet this canvas. As the buckram ma terial is moved by the conveyor and caused to pass above the nozzles i2 1 and beneath the boxlike structure lzt, it will be dragged beneath the canvas and this canvas will then cause a moistening of the buclrram material. At the same time the water sprayed upwardly from the nozzles I2 1 will wet the tissue material attached to the bottom.

The purpose of moistening the buclaram and tissue material is to condition it for operation thereon by the press section to shape the material so as to simulate the contours of a face. The moulds which shape the faces are to be heated and the moisture in the bucizram' and tissue material will prevent these heated moulds from scorching the bucliram and tissue material, and also subject the buckram and tissue material to a hot steam condition which has such temperature that the sizing material in the buckram will establish a bond between the tissue material and the buckram as the tissue material is pushed into the meshes of the buckram. Furthermore, this steam will insure that the sizing will cause the bucliram to take a set, conforming to the shape in which it is pressed by the male and female dies of the mould.

Water will be conducted to the pipes 12! and IE2 to cause the spraying to take place only during that cycle of the machine wherein the conveyor is caused to be operated to move the material thrcugh the machine. As shown in Figure 14, pipe l2l will be provided with a valve it which can be controlled a solenoid. In a similar manner pipe 522 will be connected with a valve it! which will alsobe solenoid controlled. The conductors for the two solenoid controlled valves will be connected into the main timer control MTG. The control will be such that when the motor d? is caused by the timer control to move the conveyor forwardly, there will be suitable switches closed to also open the valves E38 and lti and cause water to be s rayed on the upper and lower surfaces of the combined buckram and tissue material. When the conveyor stops, the timer control will open the switches controlling the solenoids of the valves ltll and it i, thus cutting off water to the spraying nozzles.

As the conveyor is moved forwardly during a cycle of operation, the moistened section of combined buckram ant. tissue material will be moved into the press section at the rear end of the conveyor, said moistened section still being connected to the conveyor section by means of the pins 35. Before entering the press section, the moistened section of buckrain will have one move ment during a cycle of operation of the machine in which no work will be done thereon. It is in the press section that the combined buclrram and tissue material will be shaped to simulate faces and these face shapes will be so formed in the section of buckram material which has been cut off by the saw that the paint on each face will be properly located on a face shape. Thus, when the section comes from the press there will be twelve masks (the number selected, but which can be varied as desired), all fully painted and ready to be cut out to provide finished masks and have applied thereto the rubber band for holding the mask on the face when it is being worn.

As best shown in Figure 13, the press has a frame structure H32 built up from various angle irons and to which the forward end of the conveyor will be mounted. In this frame structure above the conveyor there is mounted a stationary mould SM, fixed on cross angle irons L33. This stationary mould is made up of a plurality of female dies its. Each of these dies is constructed so the cavity thereof conforms in shape to aface contour which is desired to be moulded into tl'ie mask. These dies are cast of a suitable metal and there will be twelve in number, arranged three in a row with four rows. The dies are arranged to be heated, for example, by gas burners H5 positioned above the dies, the burners being connected by suitable pipe to a source of gas. Other heating means such as electricity can be employed, if desired. In arranging the dies its they will be so positioned in the mould that two rows of dies on one side of a longitudinal axis of the mould will have their forehead ends in juxtaposition and the other two rows of dies on the opposite side of the mould will have their forehead ends in juxtaposition. The dies can have small holes to allow escape of steam and thereby pern it quicker drying.

Mounted in the upper mould will be two gravity plates 53%. These plates extend longitudinally through the mould, and by longitudinally is meant the direction of movement of the conveyor. The plates Ito are at the central longitudinal axis of the mould and thus lie between the six dies on one side of the mould and six dies on the other side of the mould. Each plate is provided with a slot it? through which extends a pin 38 carried by the moulds. Ordinarily each plate, because of the action of gravity, hangs on the pin E38 and when so hanging the bottom edge of the plate will extend a short distance below the bottom plane of the mould. The plates, however, can be moved upwardly relative to the mould by a suflic'ent lifting force to overcome the hanging weight of the plate. The purpose of these gravity plates is to aid in gathering in the buckram material prior to moulding and also to assist in disengaging the buclrram material from the female dies after the moulding operation has been accomplished and the male dies, which are going to cooperate with the female dies, have been withdrawn from the female dies. The particular functioning or the plates will be later referred to so their operation will be clear.

Beneath the stationary mould SM there will be provided a movable mould MM. This movable mould carries twelve male dies E39 which have an exterior contour conforming to that of a face. The dies i351 are complementary to the female dies its which are in the stationary mould SM. Thus, when the movable mould. MM is moved upwardly the male dies will move into the female dies and cause a shaping of the buckram material to establish the twelve face shapes in the bucliram material. The movable mould MM is suitably mounted for movement on fixed angle irons I40 and moving will be accomplished by a fluid motor I 'll with its piston rod I42 connected to the mould to cause an upward movement thereof when the motor is operated. The dies of the movable mould will be heated in a manner similar to the dies of the stationary mould, it being seen from Figure 18 that there are provided beneath the dies gas burners I43 which are connected. by suitable piping to a source of gas. The dies i353 are arranged in rows of three, there being four rows. The male and female dies are arranged to properly cooperate with each other and the faces painted on the buckram material will be so placed that the shaped faces will have painted features in their proper places.

When the section sawed 01? from the continuous strip of buckram material moving through the machine is caused to move into position in the press by movement of the conveyor and then subsequent stopping thereof, the section in the press will be initially engaged at the center when the lower mould begins to move upwardly. This is accomplished by structure shown in Figure 19. It will be noted from this figure that the center of the upper mould carries a slidable pin Hi l which is backed by a relatively strong spring I45. Directly below this pin I54 and mounted in the movable mould MM is another slidable pin Hi6 which is backed by a spring I l? weaker than the spring I 45. These pins Hi l and I 46, which are axially aligned, will have their ends in spaced position when the moulds are open and the section of the buckrarn is being moved into the press. As the movable mould MM is caused to move upwardly the center of the buckram section will be clamped between the ends of the two pins and then as the movable mould continues to move upwardly the pin I4 6 will be pushed downwardly, due to the fact that the spring I45 backing up pin I44 is stronger than spring Ml backing up the pin I46. With this grasping of the section of buckram at the middle and the movement of the pin I45 downwardly, the result will be that the central part of the sheet will be moved downwardly into the center of the dies in the movable mould. This will cause the whole buckram section to be gathered inwardly towards the center, thus putting slack in the central part of the section of buckram so that a uniform moulding of the faces can take place without any tearin of the buckram.

To insure a uniform drawing in of the buckram, the four corners of the section of buckram in the press are slidably held. To accomplish this there are provided spring biased pins at each corner in the lower movable mould. These pins are shown in Figures 18, 20, 21 and 24, and an enlarged sectional view of one pin is shown in Figure 21. Each corner pin is indicated by the numeral I :35. This pin fits downwardly into a cylinder I49 carried at the corner of the movable mould just outwardly of the dies. The pin has a shoulder 55E! thereon and between this shoulder and the bottom of the cylinder is a spring 5I normally urging the pin I 48 upwardly to where the shoulder I58 will be engaged with the closure element 52 at the top of the cylinder I ls. The upper ends of the pin Hill are caused to be brought into engagement with the four corners of the stationary mould SM, this en gagement taking place as the movable mould moves upwardly and at approximately the same time that the two pins Md and I 46 are caused to grasp the center of the buckram section. When the pins hit engage the corners of the stationary mould, the engagement will only be by a slight pressure, as determined by the spring IN. The pressure is not great enough to prevent the sliding of the corners of the buckram inwardly as the pin I44 forces the pin I d5 downwardly and gathers in the central part of the buckram section. The pins thus act to make a uniform pull at each corner of a buckram section and insure that the sides of the buckram section will not become unduly wrinkled as the drawing in takes lace.

Before any drawing in is to be accomplished, it is necessary to have the section of buckram disengaged from the conveyor and this is accomplished by stripper plates. There is a stripper plate I53 carried at each side of the movable mould closely adjacent the conveyor chain. These stripper plates extend upwardly and above the top of the male dies and also above the top of the pins I68 at the corners of the movable mould and the pin I 46 at the center of the movable mould. With these stripper plates the section of the buckram which is attached to the pins 35 on the conveyor chains will be lifted off of these pins as the movable mould MM moves upwardly. The lifting of" will take place slightly prior to the engagement of the pins I53 against the upper movable dies and just after the buclrrarn material is grasped between pins Md and M5. This is well illustrated in Figures 20 and 22. Figure 20 shows a stripper plate engaging the buckram edge to begin to lift it off the pins. Figure 22 shows the stripper plate, having just removed the buckram edge from the pins, after which the corner pins Hi8 will slidably clamp the corners to the top stationary mould. After the stripper plates have moved the edges of the buckram sheet upwardly off the pins 35 carried by the chains, they will continue to move upwardly alongside the stationary mould as the moulds are continued to be brought together.

Associated with the movable mould are also two extractor bars I54 and I55. These bars are arranged to extend longitudinally of the movable mould and are arranged to be stationary. It will be noted from Figure 18 that the ends of the eX- tractor bars are mounted on posts I56 which extend upwardly and are carried by the stationary angle irons I'm positioned below the movable mould. The forehead ends of the male dies which are arranged to be in juxtaposition for each pair of rows are slightly spaced apart in order to permit the extractor bars I54 and i555 to move downwardly between these dies as the movable mould moves upwardly, can pass upwardly beyond the extractor bars and then pick up the section of buclrram to be moulded and move it in to the female cavities of the stationary mould. The extractor bars, during the moulding operation, will have no engagement with the section of buckram. However, after the moulding operation has taken place and the movable mould is caused to move downwardly to its fully open position, the male dies will move downwardly past the extractor bars and thus the extractor bars will be caused to engage the bottom or the moulded masks in the section of buclzram and insure that this section will be peeled or lifted off of the male dies and thus lie free on the tops of the extractor bars.

From the above description of the press, including the stationary and movable moulds, it is believed to be obvious how the masks are moulded. The two cooperating pins I M and I46 are not only useful in gathering in the section of buckrain at the center, but serve an additional purpose of centering the whole section of buckram and aiding in making an adjustment of the various dies so that proper moulding will take place with respect to the painted faces on the section of buckram. Each section of buckram which is being painted with faces will also have painted on its center a dot about the size of a dime. Thus, when the dies are being set up and the whole machine properly adjusted for continuous operation with certain facial male and female dies being employed, this painted on dot at the center of the section will be caused to move so it will be directly beneath the rod i l l when the conveyor is brought to a stop. The center of the buckram section will then be known and this center will be positioned exactly between the two rods and I45. With centering and holding of th section of buckram it will then be possible to make any necessary adjustments of the various dies, both male and female, so that when the two moulds are brought together the faces caused to be formed in the buckram will match up with the painted on faces and all facial features will be in their right place.

In order that the operation of the press may be clearly understood, let it be assumed that a section of buckram, as sawed off and previously moistened, is moved into the press by the conveyor and the conveyor stopped. The lower movable mould MM is then caused to move upward ly by the operation of the fluid motor Mi. ing the initial movement of this lower mould the stripper plates 553 will pick up the two edges of the buckrarn section which are attached to the pins 35 of the conveyor chains and release these edges from the conveyor chains. the disconnection of the buokram section from the conveyor chains, the pins M3 at the four corners will engage the buckram material and press it against the corner of the stationary mould. upwardly will have already caused the pins i i-ll and ME to be brought into engagement just slightly before the buckram is disconnected from the chains, and since the pin Ms is backed by a stronger spring it will push the buckram down at the center and gather in the buckrarn toward the center uniformly from all four corners. Simultaneously with this drawing in, the gravity plates E35 will engage the buckram material on each side of the pins Hi l and i455 and tend, by their weight, to push the buokram material uniformly into the spaces between the male dies along the longitudinal axis, that is, the longitudinal line which divides the movable mould at its center with six male dies on each side. When the heated mould now assumes full engagement, the buckram material will be properly gathered and there will be sufiicient material at all points so that moulding of the twelve face shapes can take place, this moulding being accomplished by heat and pressure between the male and fe male dies.

When the two moulds are in their closed positions and the forming of the faces is taking place, steam will be generated from the moisture in the combined buckram and tissue material, all being caused by heat from the dies. This steam will act upon the sizing in the buckram material and soften it together with the adhesive material applied when the tissue sheet was adhered to the bottom surface of the buckram. The pressure will push the tissue material into the meshes of the buckram and since the sizing is now softened by the action of the heat and steam, a good bond will be obtained between the tissue mate- Dur- Directly after The movement of the movable mould means of a pivot pin, a finger arm $56.

rial and the buckram. After the moulds have been brought together and held together for a very short period of time, the lower mould is withdrawn from the upper stationary mould and it will have carried down with it the section of buckra-m. The loosening of the buckram from the female dies will be aided by the gravity plates as the movable mould moves away. When the movable mould passes below the extractor bars d and I55, the combined buckram and tissue paper section will be lifted off from the female dies and will lie on the top of the extractor bars. This finished section with the masks moulded therein is shown partially out of the press in Figure 18 and is indicated by the letter S.

After the section S of combined buckram and tissue material has had the masks moulded therein and it is resting on the extractor bars following the opening of the moulds, such section will be automatically removed from the press and stacked while the conveyor is stopped. The structure for accomplishing the removing and the stacking of the moulded sections S is shown in Figures 24 and comprises a machine section placed beyond the end of the press and hereafter referred to as the remover-stacker section. This remover-stacker section has a frame structure comprising upright posts 556 and 55?, together with various horizontal frame members Hi8. Mounted on the horizontal members are parallel shafts I59 and E which extend completely across the frame structure. Qn the ends of shaft !59 are sprockets i6! and on the ends of shaft it!) are sprockets E62. Trained over the sprockets are endless chains 58%, it being understood that there is an endless chain on each side of the frame structure. The forward shaft E59 is arranged to be driven by a motor ltd by means of a chain I55 and suitable sprockets. The motor, when operated, turns in such a direction as to cause the endless chains its to move in the direction of the indicating arrows. Each chain H53 will have connected thereto. by Each finger arm will move with the endless chain to which it is connected. Each finger arm carries a roller it? which is arranged to move between two guide rails "it and N59. The outer or free end of the finger arm carries a finger lit.

With this arrangement of the endless chains i the pivotally connected finger the guides for the finger arms, it will be seen that a pivoted end of the finger arm is cause. to move around with the endless chain the finger on the end of the finger arm will be moved into the beneath the forward side of the finished moulded mask section S. When the pivoted end of the finger is caused to move downwardly over the forward sprocket it! it will lift the finger i'lt upwardly to pick up the finished mask section then move rearwardly by the lower run of the endless chain. As it moves rearwarclly it will pull the finished mask section S completely out of the press.

0n the frame structure of the remover-stacker machine there will be mounted a plurality of stationary rails ill in parallel spaced relation and extending longitudinally of the machine. These rails will act as a rest or platform upon which the finished mask section S can be slid by the fingers as they are caused to move rearwardly when the endless chain pulls the arms its along the lower run of the chains. When the mask section S is pulled fully onto the rails, as indicated in dotted 

